The San Francisco 49ers face the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday for the first time since Week 1.

Needless to say the season has gone opposite directions for both teams. We got in touch with Jess Root of the Cards Wire to find out how the Cardinals have gotten to this point and how he thinks Saturday’s game will go.

1 So is Kyler Murray hurt or what? And if he's not hurt, why has he struggled of late?

(AP Photo/Josie Lepe)

Jess Root: Murray did have a shoulder injury that seemed to limit him some, but I wouldn’t say he has been struggling. During the Cardinals’ three-game losing streak, he was limited in the running game, gaining a combined 61 yards in that span. However, he did have five touchdown passes and two interceptions.

He is coming off a career-high 406 passing yards and had three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown, winning NFC Offensive Player of the week for the third time this season and has seven touchdown passes to two picks in his last three games, including two games with three touchdown throws. While he looked a little out of rhythm in the losing streak, he is back on track and having a fantastic season. He is on pace for 4,156 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes, as well as 847 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores.

2 How has Arizona's defense managed to hold up without Chandler Jones?

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

JR: It has been very up and down. When they have been otherwise healthy, they have been okay. The pass-rushing production has been fine, as they are two sacks off the league lead and have gotten 14 in the last two games. Haason Reddick is having a career season with 11 sacks (six and five forced fumbles in the last two games) and Dennis Gardeck has been a revelation, picking up seven sacks in 93 snaps. He will not play this weekend, as he is going on injured reserve.

They have been a middling defense that plays well when the offense gets the lead. They can be dominant but will go through lulls during the game and will give up long third downs.

3 What's your takeaway from the Isaiah Simmons experience so far?

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JR: It has been frustrating for fans and for him. Top-10 picks are usually given a lot of playing time from the beginning. The Cardinals played it slow with him. He struggled in the very first series of the season against the Niners, getting hit with a penalty and giving up Raheem Mostert’s 76-yard touchdown reception. He has made some plays and now is getting significant playing time, getting work at safety, off the edge, in coverage and at inside linebacker. He makes some mistakes and isn’t strong in the run game yet, but he is now looking like the player we all believed they drafted.

4 The Cardinals come into this game at 8-6, is that above, below or right at where you expected them to be?

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JR: As up-and-down as it has been, they are right about on track. I had them at 9-7 just missing the playoffs before the season. That is a real possibility. I expected them to compete for the postseason if Kyler Murray could be great. He has mostly been great and the Cardinals are on the verge of the postseason for the first time since 2015.

5 Give us a prediction -- how does the game go?

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JR: Both teams are banged up. I think the Niners are scary, although we both know that with C.J. Beathard an QB, it feels hopeless. I expect some fight but I believe the Cardinals offense will be too much. The Niners rally late but will fall 31-17.